16/02/2026

The death of a horse at the Sartiglia is unacceptable for the simple reason that that horse should not have been there. Horses must live free, in the company of their own kind, and not be used for the most disparate human activities, including these events that disguise exploitation and abuse behind the shield of tradition.

Being in the middle of a crowd, in the noise, forced to perform actions contrary to their nature, causes extremely severe stress in horses. IHP, through its legal team, will request access to all documentation relating both to the preliminary checks carried out on the horses and to what happened on Sunday afternoon. And it is ready to report those responsible.

The organizers of the Sartiglia have demonstrated rare obtuseness, strongly opposing even the minimum safety provisions required by the Abodi decree: safety measures relating exclusively to human beings who – it is worth reiterating – consciously choose to participate in these events. As for animals, there is much talk of checks, to reassure public opinion, but the reality is different: animals do not choose and are forced to participate by human beings, prisoners of an abusive culture, riddled with prejudice and false knowledge about the real welfare of equids. What happened in Oristano demonstrates this once again.